As the switch device which is used for this purpose, there is, for example, a switch device of seesaw type as disclosed in PTL 1. FIG. 18 shows an example of the switch device of the seesaw type which is disclosed in PTL 1.
This switch device includes a functional part 102 having a bulb as a light source, and a switch lever 101 for connecting and disconnecting electric power to the bulb, and a decorative part 105 having a cover lens 103 covering the functional part 102, and a switch knob 104 for operating the switch lever 101. The switch lever 101 is mounted on the functional part 102 so as to swing, and the switch knob 104 is mounted on the decorative part 105 so as to swing. When the functional part 102 and the decorative part 105 are assembled together, a shaft part 106 which is a pivotal shaft of the switch lever 101 and a shaft part 107 which is a pivotal shaft of the switch knob 104 are aligned to be integrated. Accordingly, when the switch knob 104 is swung, the switch lever 101 swings thereby enabling the electric power to be connected or disconnected to the bulb. In this switch device of the seesaw type, a spring and a locking ball are used to give a feeling of click (switching feeling) to a user.
Moreover, there is such a switch device of sliding type that a sliding contact piece having a cantilever structure is slid along a printed board to be brought into contact with an electrically conductive pattern on the board (PTLs 2, and 3). Further, there is such a switch device of sliding type that a sheet of spring metal plate is folded in opposite directions, and slid along terminals in a zigzag shape which are arranged in parallel at an interval (PTL 4).